The next (big?) thing
For Pappas, it’s about forward thinking. “Business is good but different; we can’t operate in 2018 like we did in 2017. For example, we have to provide core items like portabella mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, and mesclun which were once specialties but are now commodities, while always keeping an eye out for the next future commodity, like arugula.
“To be successful in 2018,” Pappas observes, “we must identify what customers want and who they are. With mergers and new players in the area, our customer base is always changing. We have to identify that business, and keep looking ahead.”
When it comes to doing business in Chicago, Cornille sums it up this way: “We’re reaping the benefits of a market with better accessibility. These days we can reach every nook and cranny of the business and all pockets of ethnicities. We’ve learned to change and thrive in a diverse, changing industry.”
And part of rolling with this ever-evolving industry is looking to the future. “The new generation has been adapting well in the business by implementing faster communication, faster shipping, and more efficient technology—and this will take them and our industry forward.”
Images: View Apart, sunabesyou, MP_P/Shutterstock.com
